When most people think of smoothies and frozen drinks, they typically think of the blender. The blender has long been a staple of kitchens and bars everywhere. It can chop ice, it can puree soups and salsas and it can even chop up fruits and vegetables into fine pieces. However, if you’ve never used a KitchenAid food processor before, you’ll be surprised to find out that a can do many things a blender can’t.

Put side by side, they don’t look that different. Both have a reservoir where the food is chopped or pureed, and there is a motor in the base that is controlled by a switch or a series of buttons. But that’s where the similarities end.

Blenders

It’s common knowledge that blenders are great at blending things, obviously. They are perfect for any kind of cold or frozen drinks where you have to add ice to give it a little thickness and texture. Blenders are great at crushing ice, provided it’s a good one, and it’s rare to find a kitchen without one. Bodybuilders use them for protein shakes, cooks use them for salsas and gravies and kids use them for milkshakes.

However, when it comes to blenders, they really can’t hold up against food processors when it comes to more solid foods. Have you ever put a whole apple into a blender to see what would happen? The apple does get chopped, but it’s often halfway done. The blender’s just not efficient when it comes to solid foods. That’s why many people prefer the food processor over the blender, for a number of reasons.

Food Processors

These are designed for solid foods. You can chop, mince, slice and even puree vegetables, fruits, cheeses, bread, and any other solid food you feel like sticking into the chamber. If you stuck all those things into a blender, you’d likely end up with a mess. With a these, you have various functions that allow you to tackle many solid food jobs. Instead of hand chopping broccoli or celery, for instance, you can just use the food processor. What’s more, you can also use these to make all your favorite smoothies, protein shakes, gravies and salsas, too.

It would appear that the KitchenAid Food Processor can do everything the blender can do and more. It’s a surprise that more homes, bars and restaurants don’t put them to use. With all they can do, they should be a staple of any kitchen, commercial or residential, for they are the superior appliance when it comes to preparing foods the way you want them.